News

Trawden villagers’ fury as axe wielded

PLANS to close down a community centre and town hall as part of austerity cuts have been savaged.

Council bosses have ruled that Trawden Community Centre and Brierfield Town Hall must close at the end of June so a £1million Whitehall grant is not jeopardised.

But the decision has been met with fury by villagers in Trawden and one councillor has questioned why Brierfield ‘always loses out’.

Town hall chiefs had pledged to review the future of their comm-unity halls as part of a deal to receive an ‘efficiency support grant’ from government.

Crucial talks are taking place about the prospect of Barnold-swick Town Council possibly taking over the town’s civic hall, in Station Road, and Age Concern will be leased the Walton Street centre in Nelson.

But Trawden Forest Parish Council has signalled it does not want to be responsible in future for the village’s community centre.

And Brierfield Town Council has indicated it is not in a position to take over the town hall or nearby community centre, councillors have been told.

Under the same review Primet Hill Community Centre in Colne was found to have a strong management committee and had attracted interest from town councillors and a lease has been signed for the Manchester Road hall in Nelson.

Borough deputy chief executive Philip Mous-dale said there had been an 11th hour expression of interest in Brierfield Community Centre.

But under current proposals, to be debated by Pendle Council’s executive on Tuesday, the Trawden centre and Brierfield Town Hall would be closed on June 29.

The decision would still leave the authority £33,000 short of a £70,000 savings target.